I recently went in for my annual exam. I have an excellent doc who usually does pretty comprehensive testing. He did so this time.
I received results today that stated the following:

HPV-High Risk - Detected
Herpes 1,2 & VZV (IgG,M) VSV AB, IgG, ??? - 1.25
Herpes AB Type 1 IgG - Greater than 5.0
Herpes AB Type 2 IgG - 0.88
Herpes 1,2 & VZV (IgG,M) VSV AB, IgM, E?A - 0.17
HSV IgM AB Screen - not detected

What do these results mean?
After some reading - I've noted that there is mention of past exposure, some mention of chicken pox...

I'm concerned, and I'm nervous. I don't want to cause any problems for anyone, so I want to educate myself and do as much prevention and protection as I can (within reason).

Help??
Thanks,
Kat

Hi Kat,

Cute Name.You came to a great place.

I will try to answer these as best as I can . I've gone through the same thing so you are not alone.

The HPV test detected a high strain which may cause changes on your cervix which could lead to abnormal paps. Without treatment these changes can cause precancerous lesions on the cervix. The best way to go by this is to get routine pap smears. The virus is extremely common and many people don't know they have it. It doesn't mean you did anything wrong. You just had an exposure to Human Papilloma Virus.Here's two websites:

www.thehpvtest.com
www.maketheconnection.org

These will help give you more information on HPV how to treat it. There is no cure however with treatment you can prevent cancer in about 99% of most cases.If your paps are normal then don't worry too much. Usually HPV will go away on its own and the body's immune system will take control.However doctors still debate if the virus is actually eradicate dor suppressed.


The Herpes Simplex test is showing that you are positive for HSV-1 but negative for HSV-2. The way the results read are a bit confusing and it doesn't look like you took the routine Herpes Select test. The HSV-2 reading is pretty high but keep in mind HSV-1 can affect the HSV-2 results. Have you ever had an outbreak? If so you can take the HSV test again but usually the test is best accurate after 12-16 weeks from the last possible exposure.

If you fall in this range then you won't have to retest for HSV. YOu would be considered negative for HSV 2 and positive for HSV1. I hope I didn't make that too confusing.

HSV1 is the most common form of Herpes everyone has,over 60% of the adult population has HSV1 . HSV1 is more commonly known as the cold sore virus. It usually doesn't like the genital region but in some cases can be transmitted by oral sex to the genital region. HSV2 is more commonly reffered to as genital herpes.

Never go by the IgM testing results. They are too broad range and they can't tell which type you have.

Chicken Pox is a herpes virus and in some people comes back as shingles but in others, they are never affected by it again. You can't get away from Herpes, it's all around. That's the sucky part about it.

I hope that helps you out some. Take care and ask away. Also you can post on the other threads too . We will help you out as much as possible

Isis -
Thank you for your input. If you wouldn't mind clarifying this for me a little bit more.

So I am Positive on the HPV,
And I am Positive on the HSV 1 - I've had cold sores, though I haven't had one in many months... maybe a year or more.
And most likely Negative for HSV 2

I need to continue to have the annual.

You would suggest a follow-up in 12-16 weeks from last exposure, correct?? I'm not sure when I was exposed to it...

As for the VZV results - what does that mean?

In terms of intimacy - my boyfriend and I - should we add condoms into the picture?
I'm not sure how much longer we will be together - so I also want to be prepared for the next guy I am with.
The last thing I want to do is cause a problem for another person.

Thank you for the comment as well about the "haven't done anything wrong" part - I feel like in some way I didn't even know I did something wrong...

These test results quite frankly SCARED me.

I am 5 yrs out of endometriosis surgery - would this increase my risk with the HPV?

Thank you for having such an amazing resource to help answer questions.

Kat

You got it!!!,


Positive for HPV. Continue to get routine pap exams.

Positive for HSV-1.

Most likely negative for HSV-2. If your test did not follow in the -12 16 week range then I would get retested for HSV 2 to make sure. Test results before that window can give a false result. If you can't remember the time of exposure then it will be up to you if you want to retest or not. It wouldn't hurt.

VZV- HSV 3 ( Chicken Pox). Antibodies have been detected for the virus. Usually our immune systems will have HSV 3 if we ever had exposure to chicken pox. Our immune systems take control of the virus. You shouldn't worry too much.

I would use condoms with your boyfriend. There are other things out there worse than HPV and HSV but if you two have already been intimate since the testing then you two share the same things most likely.There is no FDA approved testing for HPV in men.Only testing for women at this time. Men usually know they have HPV if they have genital warts.High Risk HPV doesn't cause warts.

HPV can be an emotional ride and it is understandable the results scared you so I hope the " done anything wrong" comment didn't come off the wrong way.

I'm a little foggy on the HPV, ednometriosis link. Some doctors suggest that a weakend immune system is a part factor in both. So the best thing to do is discuss the possible connection with your OB/GYN. It shouldn't be too much of a factor. HPV is more associated with the cervix region and endometriosis is more associated with the uterus.

Take Care Kat and if I get any references or information to further help you, I will post it.

Thank you so much for the answers.

I have a few more follow-ups...

1) your words didn't come off the wrong way... my fear is just strong.

2) For men, is there any treatment for HPV? probably not, since you can't diagnose as easily.

I had Chicken pox at age 6.

3) Does a virus stay in the body?? Unlike bacteria which can be killed off, doesn't a virus stay in the body, and then it's a matter of the strength of the immune system to keep it supressed?

Thanks,
Kat

Hey Kat,

For men, unless they actually have an outbreak such as warts or precancerous/cancerous lesions, there is truly no treatment options. The only treatment options men can have for warts are TCA acid, BCA acid, Aldara cream, Condylox, Liquid Nitro or any treatments that can remove those lesions.

The Chicken Pox Virus will stay in the body for life. The immune system suppresses it enough where it won't cause any problems. However, some people can have a flare-up later in age with the Chicken Pox virus and it can come back as shingles or another chicken pox outbreak. This doesn't happen often because the virus is pretty weak which is why the immune system takes a hold. So , don't worry about that too much.

The biggest Herpes viruses people are concerned with are HSV1 and HSV2. Just keep im mind that if you ever have a cold sore, no oral sex or it is possible to transmit HSV1 to the genital region.Outbreaks of HSV 1 are usually milder and recur less often if in the genital region and can sometimes go unnoticed. HSV 1 likes the facial region more than the genital region. Doctors don't know why but ist just does.


Here's a nice website on shingles:

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/shingles/article_em.htm


It explains how the virus can remain dormant. Pretty interesting.



The upside to people who carry the herpes virus is that they have a higher resistance to food poisoning or plague type viruses. Doctor's are still researching that aspect of HSV.

Check out:

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=6533825


Hopefully you can pull those up.

Take Care